The U.S. Isn't as Divided as People Think

The U.S. Government's shutdown left many Americans jaded at the government's ineffectual political breakdown and partisan division. The feeling for many is that the current state of Washington politics represents the makeup of the U.S.—sharply divided along relatively traditional left/right lines.

Reality is different, though. The map that most people would color blue or red is actually remarkably … purplish. A survey from NBC news and Esquire magazine found that a majority of the country (51%) is in the political "middle"—a category usually estimated at around 20%.

The survey concludes that this chewy "center" stands for these issues: